The return home from a brutal New Year’s Eve loss and the welcomed calendar flip to 2026 didn’t solve recent struggles for the Knicks, as they struggled mightily to score and defend in a frustrating 111-99 loss to the Hawks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways…
— As if the Knicks’ depth needed to be tested further — Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson have missed the last four and three games, respectively, due to injury — they entered Friday night with yet another impact player unavailable. Karl-Anthony Towns, initially listed as questionable with an illness, was downgraded to out prior to tip-off. The absence of Towns pushed Miles McBride into the starting five for a 10th time this season, and with Robinson also sidelined, Ariel Hukporti received his fourth start. The Knicks have now produced 10 different starting lineups over 34 games.
Advertisement
— McBride quickly took advantage of his elevated role, draining a pair of threes that helped the Knicks climb out to an early 11-2 lead. While all five Knicks starters added points within the first four minutes of play, the Hawks gradually collected themselves, producing a sudden 14-3 run that knotted the score at 16-16 by the 7:33 mark. From there, both teams attacked with steady ball movement for lead changes, but an uptick in scoring from the Hawks placed them ahead by three, 33-30, after 12 minutes.
— The Hawks opened the second quarter with six quick points that prompted the Knicks to burn a timeout, trailing by nine. After the break in action, Jordan Clarkson made a three to cut the Knicks’ deficit back down to six, but their hole reached double digits with 2:40 left in the half, and then an imposing 15 with 1:16 to go. The combination of sluggish offense and weak defense in the paint made The Garden crowd restless. At the break, the Knicks trailed, 60-47, shooting just 5 of 24 from three with Jalen Brunson as the leading scorer (11). Not up to snuff, considering the team made a whopping 22 shots from beyond the arc in Wednesday’s loss to the Spurs. Overall, the Knicks lacked a sense of urgency on both ends of the floor.
— The deficit ballooned to 19 after just 90 seconds of third-quarter play, prompting the Knicks to call a timeout with some desperation for a spark. Shrewdly, the Hawks maintained control by directing all attention and physicality toward Brunson, the shorthanded Knicks’ lone catalyst. By the 4:06 mark, the Knicks trailed by a season-worst 24 points, and efforts from Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby with the ball were subpar — they combined for 18 points on 5 of 17 shooting after three quarters. A smaller Knicks defense, struggling to win 50-50 balls, also had no answer for Hawks star Jalen Johnson, who needed just 28 minutes of court time to log a triple-double.
— Better late than never, Bridges and Anunoby provided some much-needed energy early in the fourth quarter, orchestrating an 11-0 run that cut the Knicks’ deficit from 24 to 13 with 8:54 left and forced a Hawks timeout. But the momentum shift was short-lived, as two threes from Luke Kennard on consecutive possessions bumped the margin back to 19. The Hawks continued to contest three attempts from the Knicks, with tremendous success. The trio of Brunson, Bridges, and Anunoby was held to a measly 5 of 27 shooting from deep — live and die by the three, under Mike Brown’s watch.
Advertisement
— Brunson tried his best to withstand contact as the aggressor and facilitator, but his 24 points and five assists weren’t nearly enough, based on how little his teammates offered and how much the Hawks caused fits. To the Knicks’ credit, they didn’t wave the white flag amid Brunson’s frustrations — they kept chipping away and cut their deficit to single digits, 108-99, with 1:29 remaining. If only the energy and efficiency levels were higher earlier. The Knicks had no choice but to foul the Hawks in the closing minute, wiping out the slimmest chance of a miraculous comeback.
— While the Knicks anticipated more challenges with Towns, Hart, and Robinson in street clothes, one of the team’s biggest villains wasn’t even suited up to pose as a threat. Hawks star Trae Young, dealing with a quad injury, cheered from the bench all night, and his absence made the Knicks’ woes far more bewildering. Overall, the team shot 39 percent from the floor and a season-low 20 percent (9 of 44) from three. Bridges and Anunoby produced a hollow 18 points and 19 points apiece, and a full seven-man bench rotation contributed only 19 points. Hukporti couldn’t be criticized for his effort — he logged season-high marks in rebounds (17), blocks (4), and minutes (28).
Game MVP: Jalen Johnson
The Garden crowd was disappointed to see a different scorer named Jalen take command. The fifth-year forward delivered a triple-double of 18 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds across 38 minutes. Onyeka Okongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker also contributed 23 points apiece.
Advertisement
Highlights
Up next
The Knicks (23-11) will wrap up their weekend at The Garden on Saturday night, with a matchup against the division-rival 76ers (7:30 tip-off).
